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Author Topic: Worth it or not?  (Read 6780 times)

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« on: December 04, 2013, 04:19 »
0
As a illustrator / vector artist I upload my vector files to these agencies : shutterstock, dreamstime, istockphoto, fotolia, depositphotos, bigstockphoto, graphicriver, cutcaster, stockfresh, canstockphoto, 123 rf. As a beginer I need an advice. Are all these agencies worth the time or I should stick only  with the top 4 for example?


« Reply #1 on: December 04, 2013, 05:26 »
+2
if you are a beginner, you are wasting your time with cutcaster and stockfresh.. you can continue with the rest.. they will sell once you have a bigger port..


« Reply #2 on: December 04, 2013, 05:46 »
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How many files do I need to consider my portofolio decent or big?

« Reply #3 on: December 04, 2013, 06:02 »
+1
How many files do I need to consider my portofolio decent or big?

Unless you are making over $1000/month on your best site, i wouldn't worry about any more than the top 5-8 sites.

« Reply #4 on: December 04, 2013, 06:17 »
+1
How many files do I need to consider my portofolio decent or big?

Unless you are making over $1000/month on your best site, i wouldn't worry about any more than the top 5-8 sites.

very good advice.. it's not how many images you have.. it's more about how much you make with the images you have..

some people make $1000 with 500 images, some need 10k images to achieve that.. once you are making more than $1000 on your best site, then you will earn ok on all the others..

but not cutcaster and stockfresh.. you won't earn much with them unless you are earning $10.000 a month on shutterstock :D

« Reply #5 on: December 04, 2013, 06:51 »
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With my "big" portofolio consisting of 23 files I'm thinking of retiring and live like a king with lots of money and things. Kaching  ;D

« Reply #6 on: December 04, 2013, 07:03 »
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I had sales only at shutterstock and fotolia for the moment. I guess I won't bother uploading to the rest of agencies.

EmberMike

« Reply #7 on: December 04, 2013, 09:50 »
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if you are a beginner, you are wasting your time with cutcaster and stockfresh.. you can continue with the rest.. they will sell once you have a bigger port..

Agreed. Cutcaster especially is a waste of time.

Stockfresh, I continue to hold out hope for but lately it's getting harder and harder to believe that anything is ever going to happen there. At this point the site has been around so long that it's starting to look outdated.

« Reply #8 on: December 04, 2013, 10:04 »
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I had sales only at shutterstock and fotolia for the moment. I guess I won't bother uploading to the rest of agencies.

exactly.  You'd be much better off speding that time creating more files.

« Reply #9 on: December 04, 2013, 10:06 »
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How many files do I need to consider my portofolio decent or big?

Unless you are making over $1000/month on your best site, i wouldn't worry about any more than the top 5-8 sites.

I would say yes, but finding the top 5 or 8 sites usually means you have to try 20 sites. Then there is the whole figuring out if you just want money or do you have other expectations from sites.

« Reply #10 on: December 04, 2013, 11:14 »
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as a beginer do you recommend to upload only to 1 single best site and then after the sales will grow, try to expand my port to another site?

« Reply #11 on: December 04, 2013, 11:30 »
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You can't trust the poll on the left as an illustrator. Without experimenting you probably won't know your top 5-8 sites.
My two cents as an illustrator would be this.

Try GL, and Toonvectors - Each has lower sales but good Rpd --GL around $5.00 and TV $14.00
I have good luck with DT, 123 and Canstock as well. Decent Rpd at these sites for me. Around $2.00 to $2.50
If you are OK with a lot of sub sales you will want to try SS, IS, DT, BS and FT. Rpd between $.40 and $1.50

I like Yay and Stockami because of a fairly high Rpd.

Finally think about starting a symbio site.
With a small port like you have right now uploading and testing a number of sites will be relatively easy.

Tryingmybest

  • Stand up for what is right
« Reply #12 on: December 06, 2013, 20:55 »
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As a illustrator / vector artist I upload my vector files to these agencies : shutterstock, dreamstime, istockphoto, fotolia, depositphotos, bigstockphoto, graphicriver, cutcaster, stockfresh, canstockphoto, 123 rf. As a beginer I need an advice. Are all these agencies worth the time or I should stick only  with the top 4 for example?

From my experience of 1,000+ in my portfolio, cutcaster, stockfuel, featurepics and other small agencies are worth it if the submission process is non-existent or no more than 1 or 2 clicks. Typically we don't have the steep overhead of photographers. They must submit releases with almost all images. I think we should support the small operatorsif they make the submission process simple. It's good to support them if they offer 50% commission too. Also, once you get your own workflow process running, it can be pretty easy to upload and submit to many, many sites (I'm currently at 20).  8)

« Reply #13 on: December 07, 2013, 07:36 »
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Currently I have sales only on Shutterstock, Fotolia and Depositphotos. No sales for 3-4 months on Dreamstime (big disappointment as they are on big earner top list) ,Bigstock, Canstock, Graphicriver, Cutcaster, Stockfresh, 123rf, Istock. I need an advice. Is it a right decision to cancel the account on non-earners agencies and focus on the first 3 and have more time for designs ?

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #14 on: December 07, 2013, 08:07 »
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Or alternative 3: just leave the files you have 'sitting' on the low performers and concentrate on those which are working for you. If you have a few spare minutes sometime and aren't feeling very inspired, add to the poor performers, if you want to.
Nowadays, you really need to have quantity as well as quality as there is so much competition.

« Reply #15 on: December 07, 2013, 08:24 »
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Or alternative 3: just leave the files you have 'sitting' on the low performers and concentrate on those which are working for you. If you have a few spare minutes sometime and aren't feeling very inspired, add to the poor performers, if you want to.
Nowadays, you really need to have quantity as well as quality as there is so much competition.
I agree. That's an interesting point of view. As I hate sad endings and say goodbye to soon to those agencies, I decided to leave them for the moment and concentrate on my top 3 earners.


 

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